1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated processes for the production of garments. More particularly, the present invention relates to automated processes for the production of garments made from circularly knitted or tubular garment blanks.
2. Description of Related Art
Circular knitting processes such as described in commonly owned and assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,781 to Myers have found wide use in the production of seamless tubular garment blanks. Such seamless tubular garment blanks can be used in the production of a variety of clothing items, such as pantyhose, stockings, brassieres, halter type blouses, figure persuasive underwear, vests, tee shirts, briefs and the like.
In the conventional production of garments such as brassieres or briefs from such tubular garment blanks, there are many distinct stages of production, which are usually performed independently and in batches. For example, initially a batch of fabric is knitted, and the batch of knitted fabric in its grey state is then can be stentered and heat set before being transported to a dyeing plant. After the batch of fabric has been dyed and finished, it is then cut to shape to create a batch of blanks, which are subsequently transported to another site for assembly into the final garments.
These different operations are usually performed at different sites, which can be located at great distances from one another and are labor intensive.
In the fashion industry, consumer preference can be difficult to predict, which can make batch production particularly unsuited for the garment industry. For example, batch production processes can require large production changeover times. Namely, the production equipment requires a large amount of time to convert from manufacturing a garment of a first style, such as a brief having a first size, to a garment having a second style, such as a brief having a second size. Thus in batch production, large manufacturing runs are typically scheduled to reduce the downtime associated with such production changeovers.
Large production runs of a particular garment can have one or more undesired results. For example, if demand for a particular garment is lower than expected, then more garments than are needed have been made. The excess garments are either discarded or inventoried, either of which can increase the manufacturer""s cost of goods. Alternately, if demand for the garment is higher than expected, then less garments than are needed have been made. Here, unscheduled production runs are needed to meet the increased demand. Unfortunately, these additional production runs in a batch production system can be slow to react to the increased demand and can also lead to an increase the manufacturer""s cost of goods. For example, the additional production runs can require unexpected machine changeover and its associated downtime.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the garment industry for faster reaction time to consumer demand, but without increasing the manufacturer""s cost of goods.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated process for the production of garments from a tubular blank in which separate production steps are performed sequentially while the blank is mounted on a carrier.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automated process that includes loading a blank on a carrier and moving one of the carrier or the blank to more than one of a plurality of stations. The carrier has at least a portion with a desired shape that provides the blank with a stretched condition. Each station performs an operation on the blank while the blank is mounted on the carrier.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for the production of garments which includes: knitting a stretchable fabric to define a tubular blank having a first fabric region defining fabric for a garment, and one or more second, remaining, fabric regions that define waste fabric; transferring the tubular blank onto a movable carrier in the form of a former having a desired shape and stretching the blank on the former to shape the blank into the desired shape; and moving the carrier with the blank thereon sequentially through a succession of operational stations whereat different finishing-type operations are performed on the blank whilst mounted on the carrier in a stretched condition. The finishing-type operations can include a heat setting operation for setting the shape of the stretched blank to the desired shape, and a trimming operation for trimming the blank to separate the regions of garment fabric and waste fabric and thereby define a desired edge profile for the garment fabric, and removing the shaped, and trimmed garment fabric from the carrier and performing, if required, final garment assembly operations thereon.
The above-described and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims